FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Feb 26 (AFP): German chemicals giant BASF reported Tuesday its annual profits slumped in 2018, with knock-on effects from major customer sectors and geopolitical headwinds including trade conflicts taking the business off the boil.
Net profit at the group fell 22.6 per cent, to 4.7 billion euros ($5.3 billion), short of expectations from analysts surveyed by Factset.
"2018 was a year characterised by difficult global economic and geopolitical developments and trade conflicts," the Ludwigshafen-based firm said in a statement.
"Slowdown in key markets, especially the automotive industry" had weighed on BASF, the company added, the latest sign of the wider impact of car production bottlenecks linked to new emissions tests in Europe.
Meanwhile demand from China also fell, in part because of Beijing's trade showdown with Washington, BASF said.
Operating, or underlying profit at the group fell 20.5 per cent, to 7.6 billion euros, although the company was able to increase revenues 2.4 per cent, to 62.7 billion - slightly higher than forecast by analysts.
On top of the major headwinds from the car industry and global trade, BASF also had to contend with the impact of low water on the Rhine river.
"For much of the third and fourth quarter, it was nearly impossible to receive deliveries of raw materials via ship" in Ludwigshafen after a hot and dry summer in Germany.
In addition, an important plant at the sprawling headquarters complex only resumed operation in the second quarter following a fire in October 2017.
And newly-acquired agrichemical businesses bought from Bayer braked performance, as they joined the group in the second half of the year - after most seed providers make the bulk of their profits.
